Carrier-selecting device for pneumatic-despatch-tube apparatus



A. ENGEBREYSEN. I CARRIER SELECTING DEVICE FOR PNEUMATIC DESPATCH TUBE'APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 20. 1 920.

PatentedJlm 28, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALF ENGEBIR-ETSEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO J OSEIH ROSE, CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

CARRIER-SELECTING- DEVICE FOR PNEUMATIC-DESPATCH-TUBE APPARATUS.

I Speeificationof Letters Patent. Patented J 11119 28, 19,21,

Application filed March 20, 1920. Serial No. 367,485.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALF ENGEBRETSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Imrovements in Carrier-Seleeting Devices for neumatic Despatch Tube apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification. 1

My invention relates to improvements in carrier selecting devices for pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, and has for its object the production of a device of this character which will be positive an d dependable in operation and which will permit of the use of carriers whicln though of two different classes, will all be of-identical construction, the two classes differing from each other only in length. c

A still further object is the provision of a carrier selecting device of thecharacter mentioned which will be of durable and economical construction and highly efficient in operation.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

lVith these objects in view the invention consists of the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed. Y

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which Figure 1 is a partially sectional side elevation of a carrier selecting device for pneumatic despatch tube apparatus embodying the invention, this figure showing the discharge of one of'the carriers of the short class; v c

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the discharge. of one of the carriers of the long class; a

Fig. 3 is a partially sectional view of the device as viewed from a position at right angles to that seen in Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on substantially line 4; l of Fig. 2.

The preferred form of construction, as illustrates in the drawings, comprises a transmission tube 1 which, in the installation of practical employment of my device,

will be a part of the pneumatic system in connection with which the device is used.

At the terminal of said tube is provided the carrier selecting device forming the subject matter of this application. This device comprises a split collar 2 which embraces the end of said tube 1, the same being secured,

thereto by means of a screw 3 the ends of said collar.

Depending from the opposite sides of the collar 2are two spaced elongated bars .4,the upper ends of which are secured by screws 5 to laterally projecting lugs 6 formed upon said collar. The lower ends of the bars 4 are secured by screws 7 to laterally projecting lugs 8 formed at opposite sides offan abutment member 9.

The carriers which are used in connection with my construction are adapted to be transmitted through .the tube 1, the same being delivered by the latter to the receiver which is constituted by the parts 2, 4 and 9, where the same are brought to an abrupt which connects stop through engagement of the forward end of each carrier her 9.

Formed at the upper side of the member. 9 is an inclined abutment surface 10 against which the forward end of each carrier inipinges upon the delivery of the latter to the receiver, as above set iforth. The arrangement of said abutment surface 10 is such, as. will be seen, that the forward end of the carrier engages therewith atone side of said carrier or at one side of the longitudinal axis thereof withthe result that said abutment surface in bringing the carrier toa stop will at the same time cause the same to be pitched or toppled toward one side. of the receiver, that is, toward the right, as the device is illustrated in Figs..1 and. 2 of the drawings. I y I r In order to prevent slipping or creeping of the forward end of the carrier upon the surfacellO in the engagement of the former with said surface, a transversely extending with the abutment memridge or stop 11 is formed upon said surgravity, to be A spring 16 cooperates with the abutment member 12 to normally hold the free end thereof at its inner terminal of movement, that 1s, in a position 1n whlch the same rests iagainstithe adjacent side of collar 2.

The'carriers which-are used inconnection with this device aredivided into classes and B. "All of these carriers are of identical construction, the only difference being in the length of the same,'the carriers ofclass A.

being slightly shorter than the carriers" cf class B. The arrangement is suchthat, 1n

the delivery of the carriers to the receiver, they will all be first caused to topple in the same direction, that is, to the right, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2; The carriers of class A, in thus. being toppled, will be cause, by discharged from the receiver, the same simplytoppling through or from theri 'ht side of the rece1ver, as seen in Fig.

.1. The receivers of class B, however,because of the length thereof, in being toppled .to the right,as. secn in'Figs; 1 and 2, will engage at their rearward or upper ends against the abutment member 12 which will yield slightly under the influence of the carrier, and in rebounding will thrust the carrier in the opposite direction, as seen in Fig. 2, and thus cause the same to be discharged from the opposite side of the receiver. Thus it Will be seen that the carriers will be automatically sorted, the carriers of class A, that is, the shorter carriers, being discharged from one side of the IGCBIVGI', whereas the carriers of class B, that is, the longer carriers, will be discharged from the opposite side of the receiver. By reason ofthe adjustable mountingfof. the abutment member 12 provision is madef for accommodatingcarriers of various lengths, as will be readily understood.

,In order to prevent injury to the carriers as the sam are thus discharged from the receiver, the abutment member9 is provided at opposite sides of the upper edge portion thereof with cushionin members 17. Said cushioning members are simply strips of leather- Or other cushioning material which are fastened in place by metallic bands or strips 18 and cooperating screws 19, the upper edge portions-of the members 17 being exposed for contact with the sides of the carriers as the same topple toward one side or the other of the receiver,

' as will be readily understood' f In the sorting outor selecting of the two types or classes of carriers, sa1d classes are carriers when so toppled, to be engaged and separated so to permit of the same being conducted to separate stations where the carriers of each class may be handled by individual operators. The advantage of thus sorting or separatingthe two classes of carriers resides in the fact that'with this arrangement it becomes unnecessary for the operators handling the carriers to efi'ectthe selection or sorting of'the carriers, such as would be necessary were all ofthe carriers delivered to the same station or into the same receptacle. w

The selecting device set forth is positive and. dependable in operation, and-because of its. simplicity in construction, may be manufactured at 'a low cost. The same is of further advantage by reason of the ,fact

that the-carriers which are employedfin connectlon therewith may all be of identical construction except for a slight diiference in length. i This permits of more economical -manufacture of the carriers than would be 'possible did the two classes of carriers dilfer from each other in structural provisions.

' While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I

therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but

.desire to avail myself' of'such variations and .modificatlons as come within the scope of the appended claims, l V

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by'Leters Patent is:

1. In pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, the combination of a transmission tube for carriers a receiver to Which the carriers are delivered by said .tube, means for causing each carrier delivered to said receiverto topple over toward one side of said receiver; and means for "causing certain of the carrierswhen so toppled, to be engagedand caused to topple back another direction.

2. In pneumatic despatch tube apparatus,

.the 'combinationof a transmission tube for "carriers; a recelver to whlch the carriers are delivered by said tube; means for causing "each" carrier delivered to said. receiver to topple over toward one side of said receiver; and resilient means for causing certain of the carriers when so toppled, to be engaged and caused to topple back in another direction. v H

" 3'. In pneumatic l despatch tube apparatus, the combination of a transmission tube for carriersg'a receiver to Which the'carriers are delivered by said tube; means for causing each carrier delivered to said receiver totopple over towardone side of said receiver; and

yieldablemeans for causing certain of the caused to topple back in another direction. r

4. In a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, the combination of carriers of two different lengths; a tube for the transmission. of the carriers; a receiver to which the carriers are delivered by said tube; means for causing each carrier delivered to said receiver to topple over toward oneside of said receiver; and means for causing the longer of said carriers when so toppled to be thrust back and toppled in another direction.

5. In pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, the combination of carriers of two dif-' ferent lengths; a tube for the transmission of the carriers; a receiver to which the carriers are delivered by said tube; means for engaging the forward end of each carrier delivered to said receiver to cause the carrier to topple over toward one side of said receiver; and means for engaging the rearward end of each of the longer carriers, when so toppled, to cause the same to be thrust back and topple in another direction.

6. I11 pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, the combination of carriers of two different lengths; a tube for the transmission of the carriers; a receiver to which the carriers are delivered by said tube; means for engaging the forward end of each carrier delivered to said receiver to cause the carrier to topple over toward one side of said receiver; and means for engaging the rearward end of each of the longer carriers, when so toppled, to cause the same to be thrust back and toppled in another direction, said last mentioned means being adjustable in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of said tube.

7. In pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, the combination of carriers of two different lengths; a tube for the transmission of the carriers; a receiver to which the carriers are delivered by said tube; means for engaging the forward end of each carrier delivered to said receiver to cause the carrier to topple over toward one side of said receiver; and a spring held member for engaging the rearward end of each of the longer carriers, when so toppled, to cause the same to be thrust back and topple in another direction.

8. In pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, the combination of carriers of two different lengths; a tube for the transmissionof the carriers; a receiver to which the carriers are delivered by said tube; means for en gaging the forward end of each carrier delivered to said receiver to cause the carrier to topple over toward one side of said re ceiver; a spring held member for engaging the rearward end of each of the longer carriers, .when so toppled, to cause the same to be thrust back and topple in another direction; and fasteningmeans for said spring held member. permitting of adjustment of the position thereof in-a direction parallel with thelongitudinal-axis of said tube.

9. In pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, the combination-of carriers oftwo different lengths; atube for. the transmission of the .carriers; a receiver to which the carriers .arev delivered by saidtube; means .for enzgaging the forward end of eachcarrier delivered to said receiver to cause .the'carrier to topple over toward one side of said receiver; a spring held member for engaging V the rearward end of each of the longer carriers, when so toppled, to cause the same to be thrust back and toppled in another direction; and fastening means for said spring held member permitting of adjustment of the position thereof in a direction parallel rier toward one side of said receiver; and means for causing certain of the carriers, 9

when so toppled, to be engaged and toppled back in another direction.

11. In pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, the combination of a transmission tube for carriers; a receiver to which the carriers are delivered by said tube; an inclined abutment.

in said receiver arranged for engagement with the forward end of each carrier at a point to one side of the longitudinal axis of the carrier, to elfect toppling over of the carrier toward one side of said receiver; means for causing certain of the carriers, when so toppled, to be engaged and toppled back in anotherdirection; and means on said inclined abutment to prevent slipping thereon of the carrier engaging therewith.

12. In pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, the combination of a transmission tube for carriers; a receiver to which the carriers are delivered by said tube; an inclined abutment in said receiver arranged for engagement with the forward end of each carrier at a point to one side of the longitudinal axis of the carrier, to effect toppling over of the carrier toward one side of said receiver; means for causing certain of the carriers, when so toppled, to be engaged and toppled back in another direction; and a ridge on said inclined abutment to prevent slipping thereon of the carrier engaging therewith.

13; In pneumatic despatch tube apparatus,

carriers; areceiver to which the carriers are v topple over towardone side or the other of said receiver; and cushioning means detachably secured to said receiver against whlch the carriers engage in the toppling thereof.

14. In pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, the combination of a transmission tube for scribed my name.

, ALF' NGEBRETSEK' deliveredby said tube; means .for causing carriers delivered to said receiver to topple over toward one slde orthe. other ofsaid recelver; and an elongated strip of cushioning material having an exposed upper edge portion against which the receiver engages in the toppling thereoii.

In witness whereofl have. hereunto sub- 

